Upstate News

October 14, 1998
Doretta Royer 315 464-4833

More than 100 patients take advantage of University Hospital’s new heart bypass procedure

More than 100 patients have undergone a new heart bypass procedure since it was first offered at University Hospital nine months ago. The new endoscopic vessel harvesting procedure–first introduced in central New York by University Hospital last November–results in less postoperative pain, fewer wound healing complications, minimal scarring, quicker recovery time, and dramatically smaller incisions to the leg.

“My patients have been very pleased with the results, and none have experienced any complications,” said surgeon Berkeley Brandt, M.D., who performs the procedure about once every other day.

Heart bypass, or coronary artery bypass surgery, involves two procedures: removing a healthy blood vessel (usually from the leg) which is used to construct the bypass; and using that healthy blood vessel to “bypass” a damaged or blocked artery in the heart.

Prior to endoscopic vessel harvesting, surgeons, with the help of physician assistants, removed the healthy vein from the leg through an incision made from the ankle to mid-thigh.

“This resulted in patients complaining more about the pain in their legs than the pain in their chests,” Dr. Brandt said. Endoscopic vessel harvesting allows the team to remove this same vein through one to three small leg incisions that are each less than one inch in length. The advantages to patients include lower incidence of infection, less swelling, not to speak of the cosmetic benefits.

Endoscopic vessel harvesting is performed through the VasoView Balloon Dissection System. The system costs approximately $400 to $500 per patient, (not including camera and monitor). The system’s camera and monitor offers surgeons maximum visualization of the vein. And, the system’s specialized endoscopic balloon instrumentation offers minimal trauma to the patient.

To learn more about endoscopic vessel harvesting through the VasoView Balloon Dissection System, contact Health Connections at University Hospital, (315) 464-8668.